Hampshire apple tree cultivar

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of apple tree which has a superior growth habit ideal for productive, dense plantings. The tree produces very attractive fruit in both shape and color. The apple is firm, crisp, juicy, and has very good eating qualities.

This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/632,071 filed Dec. 21,1990, now abandoned.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of appletree which was discovered by me in 1978 while growing as a seedling in avacant tree space in a row in my cultivated orchard in a blockcontaining several varieties of apples including Red Delicious,Macintosh, and Cortland on seedling root stocks located on Gould HillRoad in The Township of Hopkinton, County of Merrimack, State of NewHampshire.

I was attracted to the new variety by its uniquely desirable growthhabits and its well colored firm fruit. The new variety exhibitsoutstanding tree shape with well spread and spaced branching making itideal for central leader intensive plantings. The fruit is veryattractive in texture, shape, color, and flavor.

Asexual propagation (by top-work grafting of Macintosh trees on Malling7 rootstocks in 1982, top-work grafting of Cortland and Red Delicioustrees on Malling 26 in 1983, and budding on Malling 26 in Stanley, N.Y.,in 1987) has demonstrated that the unique characteristics of this newvariety come true to form and is established and transmitted throughsucceeding propagation. The specimens described herein are growing in mycultivated orchard at Gould Hill Road, Township of Hopkinton, County ofMerrimack, State of New Hampshire.

The new variety has been named the "Hampshire" cultivar.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

FIG. 1 is shows a tree and detail of the trunk with upright leader andwell spaced, wide angle scaffold branches;

FIG. 2a shows a tree at harvest time with uniform fruit, while FIG. 2bshows a closer view of a tree at harvest time with uniform fruit;

FIG. 3a shows a tree at early bloom, while FIG. 3b shows detail ofbloom;

FIG. 4 shows fruit and foliage; and

FIGS. 4a, 4b, 4c and 4d show detail of fruit, and FIG. 4e shows detailof foliage.

The figures show the tree, foliage, bloom and fruit in color as true asis reasonably possible.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

Tree:

Growth.--Vigorous; medium size; upright leader with well-spaced,wide-angled scaffold branches.

Shoots.--Slender; straight; reddish-brown on exposed surface, olive onshaded portion.

Shoot tip.--Erect.

Internodes.--Long.

Lenticels.--Few, small, elongated, whitish.

Pubescence.--Medium and fine.

Discussion.--The tree tends to develop a natural, strong central leaderor trunk with numerous laterals that develop into exceptionally sturdyscaffold limbs with crotch angles near 90° from the vertical leader. Onyounger trees, these laterals frequently develop distinct whorls. Heavy,early fruit production combined with the natrual spreading habit bringlaterals to a nearly flat posture with minimal artificial limbpositioning. Thus, the tree lends itself readily to central leadertraining with minimal pruning and training inputs. These numerousscaffolds over time would be rotated or thinned out, resulting inpruning scar as noted in FIG. 1.

The crotch angles of scaffolds depicted in FIG. 1 of the originalspecimen are of natural origin. This tree has never received artificiallimb spreading or tie downs. This natural spreading habit is enhanced byfruiting precocity.

Despite the flat posture trait of scaffolds, initation of water sproutsis not excessive, and those that do develop tend to spur heavily andfruit in their second or third years and, being supple, bend out undercrop load. Water sprouts are not a problem with this variety.

The figures presented are of the original specimen which is on its ownroots and it is the only mature example of the tree. The number ofvertical shoots as depicted in FIGS. 2a and 3a were encouraged andintentionally left over several years in an attempt to enlarge thecanopy for production of bud wood for future propagation.

The actual age of the specimen is unknown, but it is at least 21 years.Its present height of under 17 feet and spread (width) of 16 feet isonly 60% to 80% of a standard Macintosh tree of similar age andmanagement on seedling roots.

Typical terminal growth on 4 year trees on M-26 rootstock is in therange of 25 cm to 60 cm, and on 9 year trees on M-26 is in the range of20 cm to 35 cm. The usual internode range is 21/2 cm to 31/2 cm, withextremes from 2 cm to 41/2 cm as a function of growing conditions.

The tree tends to fruit heavily early in life, primarily on fruitingspurs on 2 year and older wood, often producing "ropes" of fruit thatsize well. Even though fruit sizes well under these conditions, thinningis recommended, except in the densest plantings, to prevent this heavycropping pattern from slowing canopy development. Heavily fruited limbswill bend below horizontal in response to crop load, yet breakage isuncommon, and no supplemental support is necessary.

Despite heavy cropping, with limited thinning, there is little tendencytoward a biennial bearing habit. Chemical thinning of the originalspecimen to reduce clusters (more than one or two fruits per spur) hasbeen readily accomplished with only one application of moderateconcentrations of naphthalene acetic acid.

The bark of the tree is smooth up until 15 to 20 years of age and it isvery similar to that of the Cortland cultivar with regard to bothtexture and color. Older bark exhibits the spalling habit of the outerlayers similar to that of Macintosh. The color of flaked, mature barkranges from "Cobweb" to "Rose Grey" (Plate 5, B - 7, to Plate 7, A -8)¹. The color of young (5 year) bark of moderate vigor ranges from"Roan" and "Domingo" to "Liver Brown" (Plate 7, J - 7 and 8 to H - 9).The color of the bark on terminal (1 year) wood of moderate vigor rangesfrom "Lava" through "Cordovan" to "Java Brown" (Plate 8, E - 7 throughH - 8 to J - 8).

Leaves:

Petiole.--Medium to long, 3 cm to 5 cm (average about 4.1 cm), slender;11/2 mm average, with a variable red tinge of "Castilian Brown" to"Laurel Oak" ) Plate 7, J -9 and 10). This color usually fades to the"Light Stone" (Plate 12, J - 5) of the base of the central vein, butrarely may be carried part way up the central vein.

Stipules.--Small, erect.

Blade.--Medium in size, 6 cm to 10 cm long (average 7.9 cm), 4 cm to51/2 cm wide (average 4.7 cm); broad U-folded, oval in shape. Over time,variations in leaf color have been noted and, as with most varieties,these differences are strongly influenced by leaf maturity, exposure tosun and nutrition, particularly foliar feeding. Thus the following broadrange of colors from "Verdure" through "Alfalfa" to "Light Chrome Green"(Plate 22, A to L - 12), "Wintergreen" through "Medium Brunswick Green"to "Medium Chrome Green" (Plate 23, A to H - 12), "Brunswick Deep Green"through "Evergreen" to "Chrome Deep Green" (Plate 24, A to H - 12).Colors are not unusual to the species.

Leaf base.--Full.

Leaf apex.--Full.

Leaf tip.--Short and acuminate.

Leaf edge.--Coarsely waved.

Leaf reflection.--Semi glossy to dull.

Leaf color.--Green with a bluish tinge.

Vein color.--In general, a light yellow that blends to the green of theleaf as the central vein progresses from petiole to tip. As noted withthe petiole, there may be significant variation to be found, but atypical transition would be from "Light Stone" (Plate 12, J -5) to"Medium Chrome Green" (Plate 23, H - 12).

Leaf surface.--Bullate.

Leaf pubescence.--Short and light.

Serrations.--Serrate, regular, distinct but not sharp.

Flowers:

Bloom.--Medium early; abundant, large, white with pink center.

Date of first bloom.--May 16, 1989.

Date of full bloom.--May 18, 1989; generally within a day of theMacintosh cultivar.

Discussion.--Individual blossoms are very similar to those of theMacintosh cultivar, i.e. a pink bud color that transitions to almostpure white full bloom with a light "Peach Blossom" (Plate 1, C - 2)center. Flowers are generally about 2 mm larger than Macintosh,measuring about 4 cm in diameter. The bloom period for the specimen isabout one day later than the Macintosh cultivar.

Limited controlled pollination trials indicate successful fruiting ofthe specimen with Macintosh and Cortland pollen. Hampshire formsfunctional pollen as indicated by successful fruiting of protectedMacintosh blossoms by pollen from the original specimen. Thus Macintoshand Hampshire appear to be cross compatible. The possibility ofself-fruitfulness has not been ascertained.

Fruit:

Maturity.--Picked at our latitude from the last week of Septemberthrough the second week of October (generally after Macintosh, withEmpire and early Red Delicious season). There is little tendency to dropbefore maturity.

Form.--Roundish to ovate, symmetrical.

Color.--Fruit often colors prematurely by mid July with a solid redblush over 50% of the surface. This is unique in our area when comparedwith similarly-shaped cultivars like Empire, Macoun and Macintosh thatmature with a solid red blush. Mature fruit color of the specimen issolid blush with no distinguishing striping and with only a light"bloom" on the surface. Full color of the fruit ranges from "Malaga","Pompeii", "Anatolia", "India Red" and "Kazak" (Plate 7, L - 1, 2, 3, 6and 9). Intensity of coloration seems to be season and sunlight-exposuredependent, and not necessarily a function of flesh maturity. Nearly 100%red blush on September 26.

Skin.--Smooth, thin and tough.

Dots.--Medium in number, small, whitish, depressed.

Cavity.--Narrow to medium in width, medium in depth, acuminate andsymmetrical, occasional slight russeting.

Stem.--Medium in length and thickness.

Basin.--Medium in depth, wide, abrupt, smooth, symmetrical.

Calyx tube.--Long, wide, conical.

Stamens.--Marginal.

Core.--Large, closed, median.

Seed cells and seeds.--Seed cells are of moderate size in typical starpattern. Seed count, as with most varieties, is a function of climaticand pollination variables, but this variety typically has two seeds percell with great uniformity held tightly in the seed cavity. Seeds are ofmedium size and acuminate, browning on maturity, with no particulardistinguishing charcteristics.

Flesh.--The fruit flesh has a mild, pleasant, fruity bouquet, notheavily aromatic until very ripe. The flesh is creamy white, finetextured, very firm, crisp and juicy, with exciting eating qualities.Fruit flavor is sub-acid, yet mildly sweet; spritely, with a mild,fresh-fruit taste. On-tree storage of fruit is good. Fruit aremoderately persistent with unharvested fruits hanging well intoNovember, which is well beyond the harvest season at any latitude.

Size.--Uniformly 23/4 inches to 31/8 inches on mature tree, somewhatlarger on young trees.

Keeping quality:

Regular storage.--Medium to long (up to 120 days).

Controlled atmosphere.--At least to June, flavor and texture maintainedthrough both storage periods.

Use: Dessert, culinary.

Disease considerations: The tree and fruit exhibit little resistance tomajor diseases. The fruit and foliage are moderately susceptible toapple scab (Venturia inaequalis) and the fruit to sooty blotch (Gloeodespomigena) in unsprayed trials. However, when treated with otherregionally desirable cultivars, outstanding control of pests andpathogens is easily attainable with conventional integrated pestmanagement techniques.

What I claim is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of apple treesubstantially as shown and described, particularly characterized bysuperior growth habit ideal for productive, dense plantings, veryattractive fruit in both shape and color, that is firm, crisp and juicy,with very good eating qualities.